The Motherhood recently attended BlogHer17, an annual gathering of social media mavens, content creators, influencers, brands and more. We had a phenomenal time reconnecting with old friends, meeting new ones and hearing from some incredible speakers — and given the amount of invaluable information presented during the time we were on site, we couldn’t resist sharing some of the top tips we heard from (and for) influencers!
The Motherhood team is here at #BlogHer17, and we couldn't be more excited! Such an amazing speaker lineup — wow! pic.twitter.com/l13GTkaoxg
— The Motherhood (@theMotherhood) June 22, 2017
Influencer Tips from #BlogHer17
Tip 1: Never Give Up!
Designer Gabi Gregg shared personal details of how she transitioned from a style blogger to a recognized swimwear designer, GabiFresh. Early in her career, she didn’t know how to negotiate with or get feedback from brands, but she knew there was a need for trendier, younger styles for women sizes 14 and up. Despite those challenges, she turned her vision into a reality. Her advice to the audience was simple: find where there is a need and focus on meeting that need.
"It's about identifying where there is a void & meeting that need." @gabifresh is here, inspiring many to find their brand voice! #BlogHer17
— The Motherhood (@theMotherhood) June 22, 2017
Tip 2: Protect Content Rights
As part of a panel discussion sharing influencer tips for fostering relationships with brands, Julie Deily, food photographer and blogger at The Little Kitchen, emphasized the need for fellow bloggers to be aware of content ownership issues. The panel recommended reading through all elements of influencer agreements, as well as working with an influencer agency to help ensure bloggers retain rights to their content.
https://twitter.com/AndHattieMakes3/status/878251514795511812
Tip 3: Look for Opportunities to Be Authentic
As panelists from the Brands and Bloggers Working Together in the Food Vertical breakout said best, “A good campaign will let you tell a story in an organic way.” There are brands and organizations that may not understand the importance of letting an influencer’s voice shine through, instead requiring that they tell a story in a prescribed way. It’s important for influencers to stay true to their personal brand voice (after all, that’s why they have the following they do!). Influencer agencies can also help with explaining that value to brands and bridging the gap when brands’ and bloggers’ interests don’t fully align.
Erica @CeliacBeast says "Be you & stay authenic when connecting with brands" #BrandsAndFood #BlogHer17
— scherrie d (@thirtymommy) June 23, 2017
Tip 4: Create a Compelling Media Kit
For influencers looking for brand opportunities, keeping an up-to-date media kit is crucial. Use it to showcase your value to prospective clients. Ensure you’re showing off what makes you unique, and give examples of your top-performing content!
"Show off what makes you special in your media kit." – @CeliacBeast #BlogHer17 #BrandsAndFood
— Ricardo (@ricardo_j_e) June 23, 2017
Tip 5: When Posting for Brands, Be Cognizant of Other Brands
Mary Beth Brault, Group Manager of Corporate Communications at Hamilton Beach, reminded the audience to always pay attention to the other brands included in your images when you’re posting on behalf of a particular brand. Stay away from competitor brands in the background! These things will help your brand partner shine, as well as increase your chances of being asked to work with them again.
Tip 6: Familiarize Yourself with Goals at the Onset of a Program
Knock your sponsored campaign out of the park and avoid having to redo work by asking your brand or influencer network contact what a “win” is for the campaign — before the campaign starts.
Tip 7: Seek Out Facebook Verification
One of our favorite bloggers, Nathan Engels at WannaBite.com, shared a ton of great tips on how to crush it on Facebook. One tip? Get verified! Here’s more on how.
Tip 8: When It Comes to Video, Just Do It!
Nathan also shared that when it comes to creating compelling content on Facebook, video is a must. He admits he’s not an expert on video, but that’s never stopped him. You don’t need an expensive camera or equipment; if you have a phone, give it your best shot!
Tip 9: To Drive Views, Publish Videos Straight to Facebook
Did you know that if you cross-promote a YouTube link on Facebook, you’ll get fewer views than a video uploaded directly to Facebook? If you’re looking to drive views, always publish your video directly through Facebook.
Tip 10: Do Your Homework on SEO Keywords
SEO is hugely important when it comes to breaking out from the online clutter. When it comes to determining SEO keywords for your blog post, don’t guess — take a look at Google Trends for suggested terms.
The entire SEO session from BlogHer was so valuable, we strongly recommend taking a look at the recap from Stephan Spencer here!
Thank you to the organizers of BlogHer ’17 for orchestrating another incredible event and the speakers for sharing these great influencer tips!
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